EUGENE, Ore. >> Years before Geno Auriemma embarked on a Hall of Fame coaching career at the University of Connecticut he was well versed in the unique basketball mind possessed by the Guru of Go.

When Auriemma was growing up in Norristown, Pa., he couldn't help but hear of the exploits of Paul Westhead and really wasn't quite sure what to make of Westhead's high-octane brand of basketball. As Auriemma prepares to lead his Huskies against Westhead's Oregon squad today (3 p.m., Pac-12 Network), he still isn't completely sure what to make of his coaching counterpart.

"I have no idea what to expect when we get up there," Auriemma said. "Coach Westhead has a history of doing things a little bit differently than anybody else. I remember when I was growing up in Philly and he was coaching at LaSalle, he was a little bit unique even back then so this isn't something that happened since he moved out to California. He was always a little bit different in his approach to the game, and I don't think that is going to change."

Westhead was the men's basketball coach at LaSalle from 1970-79 where he won 142 games and led the Explorers to two NCAA tournament appearances and a trip to the NIT before heading out to California to become the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Westhead was fired early in his third season, but also had NBA head coaching stints with the Chicago Bulls and Denver Nuggets.

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Westhead transitioned into the world of women's basketball when he was hired to coach the Phoenix Mercury. As he did with the Lakers, he wasted little time in leading his team to the Promised Land, and he is still the only coach to win both NBA and WNBA titles.

Even before Westhead coached former UConn great Diana Taurasi with the Mercury, he and Auriemma crossed paths more than a few times.

"When you grow up where I grow up you feel fortunate to have some of the best coaches in America coaching in your city," Auriemma said. "As I got older and had a chance to interact with him a little bit more, I've had a chance to spend a lot of time with him."

Auriemma and Westhead joined forces at a basketball event organized by NIKE on Sunday night. However, when they step onto Matthew Knight Arena, they will do so as leaders of programs on opposite ends of the women's basketball spectrum.

Auriemma's UConn squad just held top-ranked Stanford to program lows in field goals made and field-goal percentage in a 26-point win on Saturday. Meanwhile the Ducks opened the season with eight straight losses, with only two of those defeats by single digits. After posting back-to-back wins over Fresno State and Samford, Oregon lost by 19 points to Portland a week and a half ago.

Westhead has implemented what he calls "The System" at Oregon. It is a philosophy that Westhead has utilized for years. The foundation of "The System" is to take the first available shot. When Westhead was coaching the men's basketball squad at Loyola Marymount, "The System" resulted record-setting offensive performances. Things have been a little more of a struggle in his time with the Ducks as Westhead has a 48-59 mark.

The Ducks have given up at least 100 points six times since Westhead arrived at Oregon in 2009, and on 17 occasions, opponents have scored at least 90 points. One has to wonder what a gifted offensive team like UConn will be able to accomplish in a game where they figure to have more offensive possessions than at any other time this season.

"Who knows, we could go out the Oregon, play terrible and everybody will say that they have a hangover from beating Stanford," Auriemma said. "Right now all we know is we came out here, we had a goal in mind and we accomplished it and (now) we move on."